


If My Heart Was A House (You'd Be Home)

by Spacecadet72



Category: Knives Out (2019)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:54:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27653012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacecadet72/pseuds/Spacecadet72
Summary: Benoit decides to surprise Marta by arriving back from his out of town case without telling her of his arrival, and walks unwittingly into a battle.
Relationships: Benoit Blanc/Marta Cabrera
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63





	If My Heart Was A House (You'd Be Home)

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't really planning on writing a one shot that wasn't set in one of my AU verses, but I saw this [list of prompts on tumblr](https://perfectlyrose.tumblr.com/post/112473966320/its-so-darn-cold-outside-aus) and was inspired.
> 
> Title comes from the Owl City song If My Heart Was A House.

Benoit turned onto Deerborn Drive, driving with more caution than he normally did. The six inches of snow that had accumulated overnight was not something he had grown up around. He was more comfortable now in the snow with all of his traveling for work. Besides, he had been spending a lot of time on the East Coast lately and if things went how he hoped, he might even put down some more permanent roots in the area. 

He shook his head with a contented and self indulgent smile. He and Marta had only been seeing each other for a few months, and had met barely a year ago. With his cases taking him away from her more often than he would like, it felt like their relationship was progressing more slowly than it might if it were not for the distance they found so often between them. 

But then, he was with Marta, and that was what mattered. 

It had been a week since they had last seen each other, a case in Alabama taking him toward warmer climes, but away from Marta. He would gladly face the cold and wet if it meant he could see her. 

He had wrapped up his case yesterday and had managed to get on the next flight out. He knew from conversations with Marta that she was planning on spending the day at home with her mother and sister, and he was almost giddy as he anticipated the look on her face when he surprised her with his arrival. 

To see her in person and not just over a video call, to be able to hold her in his arms made him go a little faster as he approached the driveway. The sound of his heartbeat seemed to be as loud as the crunch of snow under his rental car’s tires as he slowed to a stop in her driveway. 

Quickly parking and exiting the car, he bounded up the porch stairs and knocked on the front door. His breath puffed out in a cloud in front of him and he stuck his hands into his coat pockets as he waited. 

The door opened, not to Marta, but Benoit’s smile didn’t falter as he greeted her mother. “Hello, Elena.” He had become genuinely attached to Marta’s family and while his focus today was mostly on seeing Marta, he was happy to be seeing Elena and Alice as well. 

“Benoit!” Elena ushered him into the house and closed the door, shivering against the cold that had been let in, a wide smile on her face. “We weren’t expecting you today,” she said as she pulled him into a hug. 

He chuckled at the affectionate admonishment in her tone. “I was hoping to surprise Marta,” he said as they stepped back. 

There was approval in her expression and she gestured in the direction of the back of the house. “She and Alice are in the backyard. If you walk around the side of the house, she won’t see you coming as quickly.” 

Benoit’s answering grin was conspiratorial. “Thank you,” he said as he slipped out the front door. 

Although he was back in the cold, the estate was beautiful all covered in white snow, most of it undisturbed. There was a certain kind of stillness that came after a snowfall, and while he didn’t slow his steps, he appreciated it all the same. 

As he got closer to the backyard he could hear joyful shrieks and what sounded like competitive yelling. He guessed the Cabrera sisters had decided to take a snow day. The image of a smiling, flushed Marta spurred him on and he soon rounded the house. 

He opened his mouth to call out to her, already relishing in the delighted surprise he expected to see across her features, when something very cold and wet crashed into his face. His hands flew up in surprise and he barely registered Marta’s voice calling his name as he wiped away the remains of a snowball. He opened his eyes to see Marta reaching out for him. 

“Benoit! Are you okay?” Her hands moved up to rest against his cheeks and he was sure she was looking for any sign of injury.

“Just surprised, darling.” His hands settled on her waist. He would have smiled wide and joyful even if he had been truly hurt because she was here and in front of him. 

“I’m so sorry,” she said, stepping in closer to him and brushing some snow from his cheeks. “I was aiming for Alice, but she ducked.” 

“I won’t apologize for that,” Alice said, coming up from behind Marta. 

“I would not ask you to,” he said with a smile. 

“You should have known better walking into the middle of a battle.” 

“You are right,” he said, ducking his head in mock deference. “I will be more careful in the future.” 

“I’m just glad you’re here,” Marta said, drawing his attention back to her. 

“I wanted to surprise you.” His voice was low and warm as he pulled her in closer to him. 

“It’s a day for surprises then,” she said, her eyes twinkling before her gaze slipped up to his mouth for a brief moment. 

His head began moving almost without a conscious thought before Alice sighed loudly. 

“That’s my cue.” Her smile belying any real annoyance. She punched Benoit lightly on the shoulder as she reached him. “It’s a good thing you’re home. She's miserable without you,” she said smirking and gesturing towards Marta. 

When he glanced down at Marta, her cheeks seemed a little pinker, but she met his gaze straight on. “I don’t know about miserable, but I did miss you.” 

He almost didn’t register the sound of Alice’s retreating footsteps at the warmth and affection in Marta’s voice. 

“I missed you too.” 

She looped her arms around the back of his neck and their heads moved even closer. 

“You know,” Marta said, her voice low, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of her lovely mouth. “I’m finding it very cold out here, which can be dangerous. You should do something about that.” 

“Nurse’s orders?” he asked, moving his hands to her back to pull her in even closer. 

She nodded, humor replaced with a heated seriousness as he pressed his lips softly to hers. She made a noise against his mouth as the kiss heated up. Her hands moved up to cup the back of his head as they moved together, bodies pressed as tightly as their winter coats would allow. 

There were no more thoughts of the cold as the kiss continued. How had he gone a week away from her? He was not sure he could do that again. 

She ended the kiss after several more moments, but stayed in his arms. “Welcome home.” 

He wondered if she realized the significance of her wording. He may not live anywhere near here, but this, with her, even in the freezing cold, was more home than he’d known in a long time. 

It was not often that Benoit Blanc found himself without words, as he was usually willing to talk just to fill the silence. But in that moment, he could not find the words to properly express what he was feeling.

“I love you,” was all he managed and even that felt inadequate. 

One of her hands moved to cup his cheek. “I love you, too,” she murmured in quiet conviction before she pressed up to kiss him again. 

He couldn't help but smile against the kiss, but pulled back before it could escalate, and rested his forehead against hers. “We should probably go inside.” 

“It will be warmer,” she said, with an exaggerated sigh before taking his hand. 

They began moving back towards the house, when she paused. He stopped and turned to her. “What is it?”

Before he could process what was happening, she had slipped her hand out of his and bent down to gather a handful of snow and throw it in his face. He could hear her bright laugh as he brushed off the snow. When he opened his eyes, it was to see her running further into the backyard and glancing over her shoulder with a wide grin. 

He leaned down to make a hasty snowball before he gave chase. 


End file.
